She Made: discovery & recovery of Ukraine
Family Leather Goods Workshop “Kozhumiaky”
Olha Dryha
In the small village of Shershnivka near the city of Lubny, Olha and Dmytro Dryhas, an internally displaced family, settled. After leaving Toretsk in the Donetsk region with only two suitcases, they rented a house, started a farm, and launched a family business, rebuilding their lives from scratch.
Olha and Dmytro transformed the summer kitchen into a cozy workshop where they create collections of leather goods, craft unique items from high-quality materials they plan to adorn with hand embroidery, and thoughtfully plan for the future.
The project “She Made: discovery & recovery of Ukraine” was created by Marie Claire Business Ukraine and UN Women Ukraine funded by The United Nations Women’s Peace and Humanitarian Fund (WPHF). WPHF mobilizes critical support for local and grassroots civil society organizations working on women, peace and security and humanitarian action. WPHF is a flexible and rapid financing mechanism supporting quality interventions designed to enhance the capacity of women to prevent conflict, respond to crises and emergencies, and seize key peacebuilding opportunities.
- Olha, you have such a large farm! You explore various directions in producing agricultural products. How did you come to this path? Why leather goods specifically?
Olha Dryha: It all started in 2017. Initially, it was just a hobby that grew into a business. I was making a knife sheath as a gift for my husband. He asked me to sew it, but I kept putting it off, and eventually, he had to do it himself (Laughs). He found a piece of leather and started working on it. That’s how our interest in leather goods began—gradually, starting with small accessories and scraps of material we found and used.
We didn’t even know how to sew or process leather properly, but over time, we started learning. Eventually, we bought our first tools: hand punches, threads, small leather pieces — and began sewing.
It sounds like
“Step by step, we will keep moving forward and continue living. We have children, and they are the reason we do this, which means we will overcome everything!” — Olha Dryha, founder of the family leather goods workshop “Kozhumiaky.”
- How did you choose a place for relocation?
Olha Dryha: We are from Toretsk, Donetsk region. That’s where we began our work, but due to the war, we had to leave. It all happened very suddenly and was incredibly difficult. When we left, we had only two suitcases and a few essential items with us. After the full-scale Russian invasion began, my family and I first went to Dnipro and then to relatives in Lubny. Later, we found a place here and started rebuilding our lives.
Sometimes despair and sadness creep in, especially when I look at my parents. They had comforted themselves with the thought that they would have their own apartment and be able to return home. But now, there is nothing left. Everything they had invested their lives in has been destroyed.
They’ve been left with nothing. You could say they are without a past, considering their age, and without a future. There is only the "now."
But I believe that step by step, we will keep moving forward and continue living. We have children, and they are the reason we do this, which means we will overcome everything!
It sounds like
- Do you remember your first sold item?
Olha Dryha: We sold our first item a year after we started seriously working on this craft. Initially, my husband made a bag for himself, which our friends really liked, and they began placing orders. That’s when we decided to continue, purchasing more leather and processing materials. Gradually, the business began to grow, and we started considering it as a real venture.
- Did you immediately start engaging with local communities? Can you share your experience with the support program from UN Women Ukraine and WPHF, implemented by the NGO "Studio of Public Women’s Initiatives"?
Olha Dryha: Yes, I’m somewhat the ideologist of this restart—the driver, the motor (Laughs). I happened to come across an announcement about a program for women entrepreneurs to learn and develop business opportunities. I won a grant from the fund to purchase equipment for our production, including a sewing machine, and we began expanding the business from there.
- Did this equipment help you start making basic items, and do you now see a need for automation?
Olha Dryha: Yes, we’re planning to automate the process. We now need to produce cutting and engraving matrices. This will help us speed up production and reduce the time it takes to create our products.
- How do you promote your products?
Olha Dryha: For now, we sell primarily through acquaintances, relying on the so-called "word of mouth." However, we plan to grow our presence through social media and partner stores, where our products will be displayed alongside other leather goods. We definitely aim to expand to international platforms like Amazon.
I dream of creating collections with a Texas-inspired vibe. I feel our sense of aesthetics aligns with their visual culture. However, to achieve this, we need to enhance our production capabilities to meet higher demand.
We plan to expand our product range, develop new designs, and increase sales. For example, we’re working on leather napkin holders, coasters, and even office items like cups and pencil holders. These are trending products, and we want to position them as decorative elements for cafes and restaurants. We’re confident in the high quality of our products and are determined to make a name for ourselves in the market.
Currently, we’re focused on building a network of platforms to showcase our products and elevate our brand’s recognition to the next level.
We also provide a warranty on all our products, which is a significant benefit for our customers.
- How are roles divided in your family business?
Olha Dryha: I manage promotion and client acquisition, while my husband oversees production. He creates new designs, and we discuss them together, making decisions as a team.
We collaborate on many aspects—staying updated on trends and refining our designs. Sometimes, inspiration comes from noticing something interesting in a store, or it arises from our experiments with leather, such as altering colors or styles. That’s how new products take shape.
“If something happens, clients can reach out to us, and we will assist or repair the item. It’s important for us that they feel confident and secure.”
- You mentioned that you dream of a salon-workshop for making car seat covers. Can you share more details about that?
Olha Dryha: Yes, this is indeed a significant request, and we want to develop such covers since demand for them is growing. However, this work is not simple—it requires precise measurements of each car to ensure a perfect fit. But we are ready for this because we already have the experience and the inspiration for future experiments. We’re also committed to assisting with the maintenance of our products. If something happens, clients can reach out to us, and we will assist or repair the item. It’s important for us that they feel confident and secure.
Another one of my dreams, by the way, is to produce leather corsets with embroidery. However, this is a completely different segment for us, requiring high-quality and costly patterns. That’s why I’m open to partnerships and collaborations with fashion brands.
- What unusual materials or techniques do you plan to use in your collections?
Olha Dryha: I’m very interested in using applique with colorful leather. I’d love to create bags with ornaments that add a bright and distinctive touch. I’m also considering incorporating embroidery, although it’s very time-consuming. That’s why, for starters, I plan to focus on experimenting with applique. This approach aligns with current, in-demand trends for recycling and repurposing materials.
I’ve explored artificial leather, but in my opinion, it’s not the best choice for durable products. While artificial leather looks trendy, it isn’t as practical as genuine leather. It works well for short-term items, but I prefer natural materials because they are more durable and improve with time.
We also continuously experiment with our own formulas for leather treatment solutions, which further extend the lifespan of our products.
“I want my business not only to create high-quality products but also to help people adapt to new circumstances. Involving people in work and social projects can help them feel part of a community and successfully integrate.”
- How do you plan to scale your business? Do you plan to involve support from the local community?
Olha Dryha: Yes, I see great potential in involving people with IDP (internally displaced person) status. This could be a wonderful opportunity for them to adapt to a new place and start working in our company. I also hope to create jobs for those who need support.
We are already actively engaging people in our initiatives. I am a member of the IDP Working Council in the city of Lubny and work to contribute to the development of the community. We are also involved in projects at the village level, such as clearing areas and assisting people with disabilities. It’s important for the community to support one another.
I want my business not only to create high-quality products but also to help people adapt to new circumstances. Involving people in work and social projects can help them feel part of a community and successfully integrate.
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The idea and coordination of the project: the UN Women Ukraine team. The civil society organizations that were involved in selecting entrepreneurship stories: Studio of Public Women's Initiatives.
Media Expedition: General Producer of Marie Claire Business and Project Creative Director: Julia Brosko. Head of Brand Marie Claire Ukraine: Kateryna Fastovets. Expedition Team Administration: Yanina Provotar. Photos on this page: Nadia Berska. Video: Marharyta Omelchuk. Editing: Viktor Khodosov. Texts: Julia Brosko. Retouching: Olena Chykylova. Web: Vitalii Provotar. Expedition Driver: Svitlana Sapon.
The United Nations Women’s Peace and Humanitarian Fund (WPHF) is the only global mechanism exclusively dedicated to supporting women’s participation in peacebuilding, security processes, and humanitarian assistance. Governed by a group of representatives from civil society, governments, and the UN, WPHF is a multi-partner trust fund that mobilizes urgently needed funding for local, women-led organizations and works alongside women on the front lines to build sustainable peace.
Since 2016, WPHF has provided funding and strengthened the capacity of more than 1,000 local women’s civil society organizations working on the "Women, Peace, and Security" agenda and implementing humanitarian initiatives in 41 crisis-affected countries worldwide.
This publication is produced with funding from the United Nations Women’s Peace and Humanitarian Fund (WPHF), however, the views expressed and content included does not imply official endorsement or acceptance by the United Nations.